Just perfect, the complexity of friends and family - the scenes with Cal and his father a recognition that immoral acts don't just come from insanity. Your worlds have great depth and the acknowledgement​ that even in grimmest times there is still laughter. The parting of friends felt so true. Very glad that being I'm reading this so belatedly -don't know why I didn't discover your writing before this year -I can move straight on to the next. Amazing fantastic I could go on endlessly.

Author's Response: Thank you! I can't say how glad I am that people are discovering this fic and enjoying it after all this time. I keep thinking of going back and re-editing the story - my writing has improved a lot since then! - but time is a thing. However, there's plenty more to read - two more full stories in the series - and I hope you enjoy the rest of my stuff.

(Beds will fit in the tent if you have a fancy magic one. Just sayin')

Also that guy rope joke is amazing.

There's something about Cal that I'm really beginning to love. I can't quite put my finger on it yet. It's probably something to do with the tea. Actually, all your OC's are amazing. Usually I struggle with fics that are so rich in OC's, but yours is really working.

Damn straight Hufflepuff's are 'in' :P

Okay I'm so drawn in by your writing. I've already told you how amazing your descriptions are, but describing the changes in smell when Tanith apparates is so perfect. I'm probably so impressed because I always forget about smell as a sense when I'm writing :P

I think Tanith's father's reaction is pretty spot on. Having children at odds with their parents about their futures is a great trope (I use it so much) but you've still made him a man that's looking out for his daughter, and I can definitely see where he's coming from.

You are such a captivating story teller. I haven't read much of your stuff before, but every time I do, I'm completely engrossed right from the first sentence. Your writing is honestly like, what I strive for my writing to be. You write your characters so well and do such an amazing job of bringing them to life! I'm jumping around for CtF, so I have no idea who Tanith is, but I feel like I know her now. I loved reading from her perspective. You don't get too deep into her head, at least not explicitly, which is definitely something I prefer. I'd much rather get my knowledge of the character from the character's actions and interactions, and you really do an unbelievably good job of that. I could probably go on forever about your characterization, honestly.

I'm also so impressed with the content of this story. It's so intriguing. I don't often read stories about Slytherins, usually because I find I don't like Slytherins. You don't often find stories about the "good" Slytherins either; it's a perspective that I've always been really interested in, but haven't really found a good exploration of. It's also definitely not something I could explore myself!

Okay, so Iím super whiney about reading long chapters, but I am interested enough based on your first chapter that I am giving this one a go!

Right off the bat Iím curious about who is talking. Is it just two people? Have we met either of them before? In this story or the prequel? You donít give anything away too quickly, but they seem to be following the same strategy we saw in the first chapter of refraining from using magic. I wonder why thatís necessary for camping. To avoid being traceable? Is this trip for pleasure or something more serious?

There is an extra line of space before the line ďOnly because weíre taking stupid bloody Muggle tentsĒ that for a moment made me uncertain if we were jumping to another scene.

I love your character names - they all feel very suited for the Potterverse, and particularly for Slytherins.

This chapter starts out quite differently than the previous one - instead of jumping into action, we get a mundane afternoon with these friends and their friendly routine, which I suspect will very soon be interrupted. I imagine these characters probably appeared in the preceding story and that I donít have all of the details about them, but I see enough about their personalities to be able to follow the story alright.

Okay, so now I see that this story is going to be set during HBP, as they are talking about the inquisitorial squad being done with. I wonder if this story will be loyal to book canon or not. It feels a bit strange that there are so many characters we didnít know in the books, but I suppose itís true that Harry kind of exists in his own little world.

Hey, donít hate on the Hufflepuff! ;)

I like that you made the connection of Astronomy being vital to Potions =)

Oh hey, Daedalus Cole was mentioned in the first chapter. Was that who Ritter was working for?

I suspected she was interested in becoming an Auror!

While I dislike Cole trying to make decisions for his daughter and holding financial threats over her, it does make the situation a bit more nuanced that based on the first chapter he seems to be working against dark wizards himself, so his opposition against hi daughter becoming an auror is more educated by his awareness of the dangers.

I can see why Tanith finds it hard to believe that her classmates could pose any threat to her, but I think her father is right here. These children can become a lot more dangerous to each other faster than they imagine.

Everyone seems so ready to label Cole a coward. I wonder if the Death Eatersí reasons for doing so in chapter one were the same or different than Tanithís reasons.

I can respect Cole fr accepting that he cannot change his daughterís mind, so he might as well support her, as troubling as it is for him.

I enjoyed this chapter and am eager to find out what happens. And whatís more, yay, I got through a long chapter! Without whining! A big achievement. Letís see if I can keep it up ;)

So I see this story is a sequel, but I hope I donít have to have read the first to understand it. Because, well, you know how these things go - this is a review event and this is the shortest of your chapters we could find =P But also this story does look interesting to me! Slytherins are fun folks to explore and your story summary makes it look like you will do that with some good depth. It looks like you have quite a few OCs, so Iíll just try to roll with it.

I love your sense of humor, already shining through in this dark opening line with things like the motivation that was lost in the post and ďa gnatís wing away from having you make a villainous exposition speechĒ which combines a cool colloquialism with a self aware jibe =)

Robb and Ritter both seem partial to giving exaggerated shrugs. ;)

Super schnazzy defence cloak! I want one!

At first I thought the talk of ďyour kindĒ was just kind of figurative insults, but with the line ďthey could take down his kind within seconds, and all three of them were aware of itĒ I wonder what really is different about them.

Oooh so is Ritter not a wizard? Thatís interesting! So is he a squib or a muggle who somehow became part of the wizarding world? You make a great point though about how much wizards really on their magic and how that can be used against them, and certainly a disadvantage that death eaters would underestimate. This is really interesting already.

Okay, Ritter confirmed as a Squib. Now I just want to know everything else about him =P I assume he wouldnít have gone to Hogwarts so canít be one of the Slytherins, but I am really interested to find out how he fits into the world of the story.

HAHA nice one with the fake wand

So this reads pretty clearly for me, not having read the first story. I imagine I am missing some details of characters, but the action makes sense with what I see her. The Death Eaters donít seem like they would have been notable characters before, but Ritter may have been. I kind of hope he wasnít so that I can find out more about him here!

Iíll try to come back to this and not be as wimpy as I normally am at the prospect of reading long chapters.

Y'aaasss more Slytherins! I only got to the first chapter of Latet Anguis in Herba, but it was enough for me to have high expectations for this story. And you do not disappoint! I love that it starts off with more of a bang than the first story.

Your character names are so awesome, by the way. And the sense of place you immediately set up for the reader is so great, too. Also I'm just loving the way you write in general. The descriptions and dialogue are just so great and so is the pacing.

I swear that Ritter and Robb's fight played like a movie in my head. And Robb's wand being swapped in the commotion was so clever, and it turning into a chicken would have been hilarious to see!

I feel instantly drawn to Ritter, I don't know why. Maybe it's the rebellious nature, and the way he can fight without magic, or the fact that he probably frequently uses the Weasley twins' products. Whatever the reason, I like his attitude and I can't wait to read more about him. It's especially hilarious that using the trick wand might be advertising for Fred and George, and that gives me a sense of time in the story, too. Great job!

Hi! Really enjoying this series so far. Been searching far and wide for fanfic about Slytherin OCs. I actually cast the main characters in my head and made a graphic stokerindia(dot)tumblr(dot)com/post/145156919642 :)

Author's Response: Oh my GOD SOMEONE MADE SOMETHING FOR ME I am losing my mind right now THANK YOU

At the end of the last chapter, I knew this was coming, but that doesn't dampen the sick feeling in my gut as if Robb had hit me, not Toby, with the CC. Nothing but the sheer poetic finality of an AK, devoid of its distinctive postmortem signs, just witnessing a life wiped out in an instant to illicit such a feeling in the pit of my stomach. Annie was a good sort after all, she didn't hurt him, at least not in life. I need to take a break and go tell some people I love them. BBL

Author's Response: AK is creepy in that way. In some manners it's an unhelpful dramatic device, being so clinical; in others, it can be useful BECAUSE it is so creepy.

Annie absolutely did not deserve what she got. I'm... sorry? this needed you to take a break, gratified it was a gut punch. It wasn't meant to be easy. Thanks a bunch for reading and reviewing.

I apologize if I don't review every chapter, but if I did, I would risk sounding ridiculously repetitive as my base opinion of every one of them is just "Fan-freaking-tastic". I mean, just literally bowing down to you, you Sorceress of Words and Emotions. Love, love, love it all to hell :-)

Author's Response: I don't mind reviews saying "fan-freaking-tastic" over and over, but I accept your self-control! :D Very glad you're enjoying this story, I am ALWAYS so stoked when it gets new readers. I wrotei t so long ago but love it to pieces.

I have just stumbled on your brilliance after reading a review you had written that compelled me to check you out. I decided to start with your first novel and just haven't been able to put it down. This is just fantastic! I've wanted to review each chapter because there's just so much awesomeness, but I just couldn't stop reading.

I decided to pause because I needed to think about Gabe's prophecy. I can't yet tell for sure who's who in the prophecy. Is the Scion Cal(son of Big T), the Champion Toby (because he's trying to lead Slytherin to reform) and Tan the Disciple (because she's training to be an Auror)? I'm so into your characters and quite nervous for them because I'm sure you're going to put them through the ringer before this is done.

Addicted :-)

Author's Response: Oh, awesome! I'm so glad folks are discovering this fic after all this time. I realise, looking back, the tagline to this fic is quite vague; have you read Latet Anguis in Herba first? Technically it's not needed; I reckon Shade to Shade introduces most of the backstory in the prose, but it's a bunch of short stories covering the foursome's first six years at Hogwarts. Even better, I've recently re-written it/spruced up the prose!

Still, Shade can make a good starting point. Ah, yes, Gabe's prophecy. You make good guesses about who's what, and they would all make a good degree of sense, wouldn't you?

All I can say is: yes. I will put them through the wringer.

So glad you've found the story, thanks a bunch for reading and reviewing!

I really like this story so far and it's written very clearly. I like the character development within a short period of time and you're keeping me intrigued. Excited to find out more :)

Author's Response: Glad the first chapter goes down well, I'm quite fond of this one. There's a whole lot more out there to find out, if this is where you are in the series. Just keep reading to discover it! Thanks for reviewing.

Only Toby would criticise the lyrics of a song for having a double negative. OH TOBIAS. Embrace the Wild Rover!

The Peak District truly is a marvellous part of Britain. Until you're walking it. NOT FUN. This is definitely one of those times where I prefer luxurious camping/caravanning. I honestly wish wizarding tents were actually possible, that would make things much easier.

I love Cal's moaning about Muggle Studies, and learning things that seem useless. My Lily does the same, of course. :) Although to be fair, Shakespeare and Wordsworth do seem SLIGHTLY more relevant than the inner workings of a washing machine.

This chapter in particular, with all of their job ambitions, is RIDICULOUSLY amusing to read again, having read up to the end of Shadow. Oh kids, if only you knew...

It really does make me cry when Tobias decides that FOLLOWING THE LIGHT is a good idea. In the words of Hermione, "What an idiot." But it's all cool. Ritter to the rescue!

Oh, Cal. Poor, poor Cal.

Author's Response: Tobias Grey, Super-Nerd. I LOVE the Peak District. And hiking in it. But I also like those being memories and not having to do it right now. It's a really gorgeous part of the world, and I loved throwing the gang in there. But I find landscapes particularly evocative. I can't imagine how Cal would cope with being asked to study a washing machine, I think he'd go spare, but he's not the most academic at the best of times, bless him! Shakespeare and the Romantics are not his idea of a good time (which makes him a heathen, but oh well).

It's a crazy chapter to read, looking back on everything. Not just in terms of how the kids' lives have changed beyond what they expected, but also how they've changed. Like Tobias going into the light. Can we say stupid and naive - but then his learning curve is going to be steep and cruel.

Procrastination. Yeah. Time to find some of my missing reviews and rectify this issue. Because I can. :)

Ritter is ridiculously amazing. I mean, for one thing, HE HAS A STAFF. Only the coolest kids have staffs. You should totally give one of your other characters a staff someday. That would be immense.

Also, Ritter is posessed with ridiculously good banter. Always a good way of putting an idiot Death Eater off. You were so horrible to him...

Author's Response: I'm okay with this kind of procrastination, I should return the favour at some point. ;)

Ritter is, indeed, a dude. Though it's more a STICK than a staff, I mean, it's not at all magical. A magical stick sounds silly. Who would carry one of those? I guess I did have to do horrid things to him in the end, he was too awesome to avoid doom...

I love the idea that the future could be set in stone, OR it could just be one future of many, depending on the choices people make. This teaching could be interesting from a character like Whitaker. And boy, does he seem like a character.

ANYWAY. I'd hop straight off to the next one now, if it wasn't for the fact that I have an exam in four days and thus need to revise and thus need sleep. SO. I'll be back after my exam to read the next one!

Author's Response: As a sci-fi nerd, I got to totally geek out about the future, because prophecies work along similar principles to time travel in the regard of what's fixed, and interference, etc. I have some very strong opinions about prophecies and how they should work! (Heroes, I'm side-eyeing the hell out of you right now)

I'd like to thank you, a whole bunch, for this slew of reviews. I'm mostly just pleased people are reading and enjoying, but I cannot deny that my ego has been stroked, and boy does my ego like that. I very much appreciate you taking the time to comment on each chapter, and it's been helpful for ME - I've been writing this story and these characters for so long I forget it's sometimes helpful to look back on what I've done and examine those bits left by the wayside. It's certainly making me adjust my plans for the post-Deathly Hallows part of the story I'm currently working on, and I think for the better. There are some things I've neglected and left underdeveloped and it's time to change them.

So thank you, very much, for reading and giving feedback and for enjoying. And I wish you much luck in your exam!

I love Tanith/Gabe times. Obviously Gabe always seemed closest to Cal - not that he's ever been close with any of them - but all this vision stuff seems to have brought him closer to Tanith, and I like that.

Just one thing. You say "It was hard for all eight of them to be crammed in one compartment which was quite full at six". But then you list Bletchley, Pucey, Montague, Ariane and Melanie. Added to our four, that makes nine, right? Arithmetic is either failing me or you right now. Not that I'm being picky...

That last bit was so sad, with them all saying goodbye. I mean, in theory it's not as though they'll never see each other again, but in the first place they're all leaving school and things will never be the same, and secondly there's so much uncertainty about what will happen, you've acknowledged as much with all the foreshadowing going on in this chapter ... yeah. It was sad. And I'm glad that T/T is left as it is. Despite me championing it all the way through, it seems RIGHT that it's left like this. :)

Author's Response: ...boo for arithmetic. I have no excuses. Good catch! I probably forgot Pucey, then edited him in later to the name list but not the numbers.

They know bad times are coming, that the goodbye is huge - and even if it weren't, that's got to be so weird. Because they're not even saying goodbye to each other, they're saying goodbye to a whole way of life where they lived together and were together day in, day out, for seven years. Even if they were in a time of peace and were all going to be near one another, that'd still be huge. I can't really imagine it. Then again, in practice, I guess they'd be so excited about what came next? That's my experience of those sorts of partings, the Next Adventure dwarfs it.

And yes, it's not the time for T/T. I didn't know how this scene was going to end until I wrote it, though I knew they'd be parting. I think they had to leave it as putting a pin on their words and feelings, because it would have been too soon for them to declare their undying love before being separated.

And with what's coming, even I'm not that cruel. Okay, a lie, if it had been the right time I'd have totally done that.

Wow. This must have been ... difficult, to write. I mean, from the point of view of someone who wasn't fond of Dumbledore, but can still recognise - perhaps too late - just how important a figure he was within the wizarding world. I dunno, though, maybe it wasn't that hard? After all, you know your characters, you know how they'd all react to such a thing.

I'm glad that Tobias is finally doing what I always thought he should do. And I'm also glad that Cal is finally telling Nat what he should have told her long ago - though she probably knew it all anyway...

Author's Response: No, it was tough. Tobias knows a lot of his problems with Dumbledore were, if not childish, irrelevant to the bigger picture, and he's a smart enough guy to know how INTEGRAL Dumbledore was to that. And he still respected him in his own right. So finding the balance of not being DEVASTATED like the Trio are, while recognising the import, as well as Dumbledore's death, for my characters, just being the final note on the whole mess... it was a balancing act!

Nat knew all. But she knows the importance of letting Cal tell her when he's ready.

A nine inch wand is a very short one for a man with Robb's stature to be using, surely?

I guess it's more than possible for Brynmor Sr to seem just like any other normal person when he's talking to Cal as a father. I mean, the Death Eaters just think they're right, they don't all think that anything they do is bad, just necessary. So there's no reason why he can't have any compassion whatsoever. I like that there's more depth to him than him just being a murderous creep.

I admire Cal's strength of heart so much here. That must have taken a lot, to say no to a father who clearly cares about him so much more than just having an heir.

And, of course, Brynmor has to let his son down, by torturing his friend despite promising they'd be safe. Mind, that was before Cal rejected his offer I guess...

Gabe is amazing. Thank god they all survive! HUGE sigh of relief here...

Author's Response: Hmm. Although wand length and height are not NECESSARILY linked, 9 inches is probably on the short side. I don't know why I made Tobias' wand so short; it does suit his originally conservative nature, but still, that IS rather short. Robb must just be relying upon having won it off Toby, and with Ollivander gone and being a wanted criminal he couldn't go buy a new wand exactly. So it's probably best for him to use an imperfect wand which he won, than any old wand lying around.

I have wanted Thanatos Brynmor to be more than a murderous nutjob. While he may have messed up ideas of what's best or how to achieve it, he DOES want what's best for his son - he just thinks that Voldemort's world would be best for him. Which makes it all the harder for Cal - he can't just dismiss his father as a monster, because he sees the glimpses of affection, and however much Will cared for him it's hard to completely dismiss parental love he's been denied his whole life.

OH THIS IS THE NIGHT WHEN DUMBLEDORE DIES. I LOVE reading this night from other characters' points of view, because it must have been the most surreal night EVER.

OH no. Gabe's vision. CAL!

Author's Response: For people not in the know this is such a strange night, yes. I liked alluding to that with Riley complaining about the DA - she's the Head Girl, in Gryffindor, and the DA having learnt from HARRY, of course they wouldn't bloody tell anyone else something's going on, or bring them along, would they? But the prefects are still there to Save the Day!

It must be horrible having to deal with dead bodies. Even the THOUGHT of dead bodies freaks me out.

Ah, yes. The love triangle. Of course. And Toby's mother won that war. That explains it.

Yep, here we go. Tobias wants to join the MLE in the immediate aftermath of Annie's death, but as time goes by and he moves on, and the pain becomes less raw, he realises that it's not the place for him... DO IT TOBIAS. Then he can go back to school, and BACK TO TANITH! Only that may make things awkward, I don't think they're ready for relationship times yet, I think they both need to come to terms PROPERLY with their feelings for each other and that will only happen when they next see each other...

Author's Response: The MLE Patrol was the right place for Tobias - at that time. But only for that time, and not for the war, and certainly not for the long-term. He's learning some valuable lessons, and some of those lessons are just about being one piece of a bigger machine - when he's used to being the one who sets the beat. To mix my metaphors. It's not a mistake, so much as a decision For Now.

Oh, no! Oh, Gabe! That must be a horrendous thing to have to know, and work out, and ... oh, if ANYTHING happens to Tobias, or Cal, I'll be actually devastated. You are a cruel, cruel person to your characters!

Author's Response: I am cruel. I have accepted this. But my reassurance is this: I try to pay off my characters going through tough times by letting them have their moments of awesome.